PAT CAPUTO: Chris Osgood is not only a Red Wing all time great, but by every definition belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame WITH VIDEO

Chris Osgood retired as a player Tuesday, and the statistics he compiled as an NHL goalie were remarkable.

He garnered 401 victories, the 10th most of any goalie in NHL history. His goals against average, 2.49, ranks 24th all time -- topping the likes of much-celebrated hall of famers Glenn Hall, Johnny Bower and Patrick Roy.

More importantly, Osgood was the Red Wings' primary playoff goalie as they surged to Stanley Cup championships in 1998 and 2008. He was also the backup goalie during the Red Wings' Stanley Cup run in 1997, but was their main goalie during that regular season.

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Of the nine goalies ahead of Osgood on the NHL's list of career victories, eight have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The other, Curtis Joseph, never won the Stanley Cup, and his goals against average was much higher than that of Osgood.

Osgood had a 74-49 career playoff record with a 2.09 goals against average. He stopped 92 percent of his shots in the playoffs. When his career appeared done, he arrived back in Detroit and rescued the Red Wings during the playoffs with an incredible 1.55 goals against average that included three shutouts.

Yet, there is this hesitation to give credit where credit is due. To many fans, Osgood's accomplishments have been little more than the result of being part of the Red Wings during a period of their great success.

It's inherently unfair, especially when Osgood's career is examined in its entirety.

The Red Wings were generally better when they had Chris Osgood than when they didn't, or in the case of the last two seasons, when he was injured.

After Terry Sawchuk, Osgood is unquestionably the greatest goalie in Red Wings' history. As such, he not only belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but his uniform number, 30, should be retired by the Red Wings.

You don't hear people say Ken Dryden and Grant Fuhr were just products of the Canadiens during the 1970s and the Oilers of the 1980s.

When Osgood left the Red Wings, he did have good seasons with the Islanders and the Blues. They did almost win opening round playoff series with him goal. Neither team did well before or after Osgood arrived and departed.

OK, you can understand some of the thoughts on Osgood from other observers of the NHL. They seem to have this narrow-minded view of the Red Wings' prominence anyway. A lot of the media attention on the NHL comes from Canada where they haven't won a Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993. That much is understood.

But what about in this town? What are the reasons for understating Osgood's value here?

It was always like the grass was greener elsewhere at goalie with Osgood in net. Joseph wasn't the answer when he got here. Dominik Hasek was very good when the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 2002, but Osgood saved his bacon in the '08 playoffs.

The Red Wings have traditionally held wide margins in shots on goal over opposing teams, but their defense also pinches in and gambles more than other teams.

Osgood's strength was making big saves early in playoff games. He kept games at 0-0. He didn't often let the Red Wings fall behind 2-0 early.

Osgood wasn't known for the acrobatic save. But he did manage to adjust his style through the years.

When Osgood arrived in the NHL during the early 1990s, the league was wide open. The games were high scoring. Then, there was the era of the neutral zone trap -- and subsequently low scoring games. That was followed by the so-called "new NHL" after the league was shutdown by the mother of all sports labor stoppages in 2004. Osgood thrived through it all.

Chris Osgood's record is a matter of record. It doesn't say good. It says great. It has Hall of Fame written all over it, regardless of what his detractors, unfortunately many of them in this town, might say.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoakland